- Company Ankr is suing Zion Williamson and his family members for failing to repay a $2 million loan
- The loan was taken out by Williamson’s step-father for “expensive investments” and real estate purchases
- Ankr reportedly provided miscellaneous services to Zion Williamson as well
Big man Zion Williamson is clearly a top-tier player when he’s healthy, and many believe that he is the best player on the New Orleans Pelicans. Though we usually talk about him dominating on the court, it is clear that a lot of headlines regarding Williamson this off-season have been due to negativity off the court.
A recent report from sports law reporter Jason Morrin revealed that Zion Williamson and his family are being sued by company Ankr due to his failing to repay a $2 million loan. In the lawsuit, Ankr also claimed that they provided Williamson with certain services, such as connecting him with a physical trainer and personal chef.
Details about the loan below.
Ankr alleges that is also provided a variety of services for the benefit of Williamson, including identifying a physical trainer and personal chef, organizing community and media events, and negotiating various business deals for Williamson. pic.twitter.com/YZo40qkG5U
— Jason Morrin (@Jason_Morrin) July 26, 2023
A report from Joseph Cranney of NOLA.com indicated that the loan was negotiated for by Williamson’s stepfather, Lee Anderson. It was noted that Anderson took out the loan to cover “expensive investments” which included “real estate in New Orleans”.
“The suit says Anderson ‘held himself out to the public and to Ankr, at Williamson’s direction and knowledge, as Williamson’s business manager.’ Anderson told Ankr the loan would cover ‘expensive investments, including the purchase of certain real estate in New Orleans,’ according to the lawsuit.”
It will be interesting to see whether Zion Williamson ends up commenting on this issue in the future. $2 million doesn’t seem like much for Williamson considering he signed a five-year, $193 million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season. However, it seems as though despite his ability to do so, he did not pay Ankr back for certain services that were provided by the company.
This past season, Zion Williamson averaged 26.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 4.6 APG for the New Orleans Pelicans while shooting 60.8% from the field. It remains to be seen how he does next season, and hopefully, off-court issues don’t de-rail his season.
The Tension Between Zion Williamson And The Pelicans Has Increased In The Last Few Months
There is no doubt that a franchise would prefer that their player stays out of headlines off the court. However, it is clear that Zion Williamson has failed to do so even prior to this lawsuit from Ankr, notably having drama that involved adult film actress Moriah Mills. Amidst all of this, it was reported that there has been increased tension between Williamson and the Pelicans.
“Still, even if Williamson isn’t moved before Thursday night, that is far from the end of this story. It’s only the beginning, as behind-the-scenes tensions between Williamson and the Pelicans have intensified over the past few months.”
It remains to be seen whether Zion Williamson can bounce back and become the superstar that he is supposed to be. Perhaps this is the adversity he needs to truly focus on basketball, and we’ll see what happens in the future.
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